Read Online The Crown Of Yensupov (Book 3) by C. Craig Coleman - Free Book Online
Authors: C. Craig Coleman
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Astorax, slashing at the man/wraith.
The creature jumped overboard as the sword grazed him. He made a desperate effort to swim to the orc boat, but the reptilefish, following the boat, attacked him in the water before he got very far. The wraith attempted to free himself from the man’s body, but a water-dragon shot flames across the water vaporizing the wraith, escaping the human shell. The water-dragon and reptilefish fought over the remains as the skeleton sank in the black water.
“That’s gruesome,” Tonelia said.
“Be glad it isn’t one of us,” Bodrin replied. He stood, staring at the frenzy, his sword, hanging in his hand.
“Why didn’t he attack us on the island?” Bodrin asked.
“Too many of us, he wanted the crown’s jewels. He probably expected the orcs to take us alive.” Tournak said.
“The orcs are catching up,” Saxthor said. “Sit down and row, Bodrin.”
As the bones of the exile sank, an orc threw a spear at the voyagers’ boat. Saxthor looked up to see Tournak grab the airborne lance. Without even thinking, Tournak hurled the spear back at the orcs. Not being as proficient with the javelin, the missile went high and came down at the stern. The orcs jerked aside avoiding the spear but it struck beside the keel, punching a hole. Water spouted up like a fountain.
If it had hit the front of the boat, the orcs could’ve moved to the back, raising the hole out of the water to prevent sinking, Saxthor realized. From the back, they can’t get the hole out of the water and still steer.
“The boat is sinking,” Bodrin said. “Good shot, Tournak.”
“Those water-dragons and reptile fish sure know when there’s an easy meal coming,” Tonelia said. “Look at them circling the boat anticipating an easy meal.”
The boat sank by the minute. One orc hurled his spear at a water-dragon, who dodged the spear and snorted fire back at him. The clouds rolled forward drawing night’s veil over the scene. The adventurers heard yelling and thrashing for some minutes as they rowed on. They sailed southwest in silence.
At dawn, the exhausted adventurers saw their first sighting of land in days. It wasn’t another island, but the mainland. Inspired by the view, everyone took turns and extra effort at rowing all morning. Just after midday, the water became too shallow to row in, so they poled through the thick, black ooze toward the reed-covered shore. Their progress slowed, but they still moved forward. All afternoon they poled through the thickening mud.
The muck slowly gave way to tall horsetails and reed beds that seemed to go on forever. Ahead, a redwing blackbird hovered in the reeds uncertain of its footing on the swaying cattail.
“It should have gone south for the winter, but it stayed in Dreaddrac’s marsh too long , ” Saxthor said. Just then, the bird toppled into the mud.
“We should rescue the poor bird,” Tonelia said.
No sooner had it fallen than foot-long worms wiggled from the ooze and bit at the dying blackbird. About a dozen such leech-like worms crawled over the bird with teeth chewing, jerking the carcass still alive. On the boat, they could hear grinding of teeth and crunching feathers.
“I can’t believe it,” Tonelia said. “What are those things?”
“Another of the Dark Lord’s experiments, I suppose,” Tournak said.
In half a minute, the bird was gone. Black ooze swallowed the skeleton and the worms disappeared as quickly as they had appeared.
“It was a lucky warning,” Saxthor said. “That’s what it was. Had one of us jumped out into the ooze to pull the boat on shore, he wouldn’t have made it back in the boat.”
“It’s too dangerous to land here,” Tournak said.
The crew poled backward to get to open water, and they rowed along down the edge of the reeds and horsetails the rest of the afternoon.
“It’s late,” Tonelia said. “We need to land, stretch our legs, and get a hot meal before dark. Who knows what will be on this
The creature jumped overboard as the sword grazed him. He made a desperate effort to swim to the orc boat, but the reptilefish, following the boat, attacked him in the water before he got very far. The wraith attempted to free himself from the man’s body, but a water-dragon shot flames across the water vaporizing the wraith, escaping the human shell. The water-dragon and reptilefish fought over the remains as the skeleton sank in the black water.
“That’s gruesome,” Tonelia said.
“Be glad it isn’t one of us,” Bodrin replied. He stood, staring at the frenzy, his sword, hanging in his hand.
“Why didn’t he attack us on the island?” Bodrin asked.
“Too many of us, he wanted the crown’s jewels. He probably expected the orcs to take us alive.” Tournak said.
“The orcs are catching up,” Saxthor said. “Sit down and row, Bodrin.”
As the bones of the exile sank, an orc threw a spear at the voyagers’ boat. Saxthor looked up to see Tournak grab the airborne lance. Without even thinking, Tournak hurled the spear back at the orcs. Not being as proficient with the javelin, the missile went high and came down at the stern. The orcs jerked aside avoiding the spear but it struck beside the keel, punching a hole. Water spouted up like a fountain.
If it had hit the front of the boat, the orcs could’ve moved to the back, raising the hole out of the water to prevent sinking, Saxthor realized. From the back, they can’t get the hole out of the water and still steer.
“The boat is sinking,” Bodrin said. “Good shot, Tournak.”
“Those water-dragons and reptile fish sure know when there’s an easy meal coming,” Tonelia said. “Look at them circling the boat anticipating an easy meal.”
The boat sank by the minute. One orc hurled his spear at a water-dragon, who dodged the spear and snorted fire back at him. The clouds rolled forward drawing night’s veil over the scene. The adventurers heard yelling and thrashing for some minutes as they rowed on. They sailed southwest in silence.
At dawn, the exhausted adventurers saw their first sighting of land in days. It wasn’t another island, but the mainland. Inspired by the view, everyone took turns and extra effort at rowing all morning. Just after midday, the water became too shallow to row in, so they poled through the thick, black ooze toward the reed-covered shore. Their progress slowed, but they still moved forward. All afternoon they poled through the thickening mud.
The muck slowly gave way to tall horsetails and reed beds that seemed to go on forever. Ahead, a redwing blackbird hovered in the reeds uncertain of its footing on the swaying cattail.
“It should have gone south for the winter, but it stayed in Dreaddrac’s marsh too long , ” Saxthor said. Just then, the bird toppled into the mud.
“We should rescue the poor bird,” Tonelia said.
No sooner had it fallen than foot-long worms wiggled from the ooze and bit at the dying blackbird. About a dozen such leech-like worms crawled over the bird with teeth chewing, jerking the carcass still alive. On the boat, they could hear grinding of teeth and crunching feathers.
“I can’t believe it,” Tonelia said. “What are those things?”
“Another of the Dark Lord’s experiments, I suppose,” Tournak said.
In half a minute, the bird was gone. Black ooze swallowed the skeleton and the worms disappeared as quickly as they had appeared.
“It was a lucky warning,” Saxthor said. “That’s what it was. Had one of us jumped out into the ooze to pull the boat on shore, he wouldn’t have made it back in the boat.”
“It’s too dangerous to land here,” Tournak said.
The crew poled backward to get to open water, and they rowed along down the edge of the reeds and horsetails the rest of the afternoon.
“It’s late,” Tonelia said. “We need to land, stretch our legs, and get a hot meal before dark. Who knows what will be on this
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